The latest SAT testing results are in from the College Board, showing that from the class of 2019, over 2.2 million students took the SAT -- a higher number of than any other year in the College Board's history. The mean total score was 1059, with an average of 531 in the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section and 528 in the Math section.

School Days Boosted Testing

The College Board's SAT School Day continues to grow in popularity. The SAT School Day offers students the opportunity to take the SAT within the familiar environment of their school, during a school day, instead of taking the test at a testing center on a Saturday, which may interfere with job schedules or family commitments.

Almost one million students in the class of 2019 took the SAT during the SAT School Day, compared to about 780,000 students from the class of 2018 – that's 43 percent of the class of 2019 compared to 36 percent of the class of 2018.

Scores Dipped Vs. Last Year

Although more students from the class of 2019 took the SAT, the average total SAT score was lower than that of the class of 2018, which averaged 1068. This lower average score this year also meant that only 45 percent of SAT takers in the class of 2019 met both college readiness benchmarks – the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and Math benchmarks, which indicate a high likelihood for success in credit-bearing college coursework. This percentage is slightly less than the 47 percent achieved by the SAT takers from the class of 2018.

However, the College Board report stated that a much more diverse group of students took the test during the School Days events. "In the class of 2019, 46 percent of SAT School Day test takers were from high-poverty public schools, compared to only 22 percent of students who tested on a weekend; 46 percent of SAT School Day test takers were underrepresented minorities, versus only 32 percent of those who tested on weekends; and 45 percent of SAT School Day test takers were first-generation, compared to 30 percent of weekend testers," the organization said in a fact sheet about the scores.

Report Breaks Down Scores by Gender, Ethnicity

In addition to stating that the average SAT score was 1059, the report breaks down the mean scores based on gender and ethnic background. For instance, the scores for males (average of 1066) and females (1053) were fairly close to one another, and the ethnic group with the highest mean scores (Asian students) logged an average SAT of 1223.

To read the complete report, visit the College Board website.